The Washington critic., 1887-09-19
ODDS AND ENDS.

u
immensely overgrown country village.
composed principally of one story-ind
a.hslf buildings, mostly of wood. Dur.
ing the war artillery and wagons were
frequently stalled on Pennsylvania ave-
nue., up to the wheel hubs In mud.
What the city was then, 1t would
have remained with little improvement
for the next hundred ycars-if indeed
1t had not gone to decay and been
blown awsy--as the Capital would un-
doubtedly have been removed to the
great West, had 1t not been for the
matchless energy and ability Of Ex.
GOVERNOR ALEXANDER II. SHEPHERD.
He saw how the growing clamor for
removal of the Capital could be "nipped
in the bud" aud the city made the
pride of the Nation.
Sustained and encouraged by Presl.
dent Grant and Congress, as President
of the Board of Public Works. he
pushed forward his heroic system of
improvement, until the obstruction
lists" succeeded in obtaining an injnuc
tion through the courts, compelling
cessation Of the work shen II had been
nearly completed.
We all know the manner OF man
Governor Shepherd Is, and that If he
had been let alone he would not only
have completed our beautiful streets,
but given us good sidewalks as we'll.
The most honest pOlitician | ever
knew-who differed from George
Washington in that George could not
tell lie, while ex.Vice President
Hannibal Iamlin could, but never did
told me before the injunction that 1t
was understood that Governor Shep.
herd should go ahead and complete the
contemplated Improvements and Con
gress should, In behalf of the Nation,
appropriate the money necessary to pay
the expense of establishing the Capital
at Washington In such manner that
all Americans would not only be proud
of it, but satisfied to allow ii to remain
here for all time.
Governor Shepherds manner of re.
moval of the old market buildings be
tween Seventh and Ninth and X and l.
streets was a coup d'etdt worthy of a
Napoleon, but In no other way could
the unsigh,ly rat traps have been re.
moved at that time. The next morn.
ing he might have been mobbed could
he have been found. Who will say to.
day but that he tore down wisely?
The proposition Of THE Critic, that
papers be prepared and left at num-
ber of places where citizens desirous
Of rendering Governor Shepherd re.
ception or other suitable honors could
so indicate by signing their names. to
be afterward bound into book form.
struck me as an exceedingly good one,
and as meeting will be held to-
night to devise plan and determine
the kind of a demonstration In honor of
Governor Shepherd, what kind of au
idea would 1t be to have the papers
placed as originally intended so that
every person deslrous Of doing so could
sign and at the came time leave some
email amount, from five cents to one
dollar, not to exceed one dollar. with q
view of standing up the cicic hero, In
bronze, In the centre of the pretty park
where formerly stood the old rookeries
the scene Of his great peace victory.
1t seems to me there would be suili
cient number of thousands who would
gladly contribute toward such u mark
of esteem, at time which would per.
nit the honorable gentleman to see for
himself how he will appear to genera
tions yet unborn.
Limiting contributions to one dollar
and accepting lesser mites would give
every citizen, no matter how humble,
an opportunity to contribute something.
AT the same time, any citizen who
wished to contribute one dollar each
for any number of others who would
not object could do SO, by making up
lists to suit themselves and their
friends. Would 1t not be possible to
make such an effort popular with the
hosts of the Governor friends.
~.
Possibly the world may never cease
TO believe Friday an unlucky day.
True, men are seldom hanged or
other days, but that the Crucifxior
occurred on Friday cannot be proved
for even the year of that event Is by
no means certain.
Admitting, however. all that 1:
claimed for unlucky Friday, long ls
of events quite the reverse might b(
cited; but few connected with
American history will indicate tha
there have been many very lucky
Fridays.
Columbus sailed from Palos on his
memorable voyage of discovery or
Friday, August 3, 1402, and on Friday
October l2, discovered the first land
the island which he called Sar
Salvador
On Friday, March 3, l406, Henry the
Seventh, King of England, commits
stoned John Cabot and his three sons
"or either of them, their heirs or thei
assigns, TO search for islands, provinces
OF regions, In the Eastern, Western
or Northern seas;" and as vassals o
the English King, "to occupy the terri
tories that may be found, with an ex
elusive right to their commerce, OF
paying the King fifth part OF all tn,
profits"
This commission Is the first Engllst
State paper on record concerning Amer
lea. Cabot raised the flag of EnglanC
on the coast OF Labrador, Friday, JUNE
2l, 1907.
On Friday, December 90, 1890 tn,
Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock
On Friday, February %, 1i32, GcOrg,
Washington was born, On Friday
June 10, 1715, Bunker Hill was seiZeC
and fortified, or rather Breeds Hi
was. On Friday, October 8, I'M, oc
CURED the surrender of Saratoga, Or
Friday, September 90, 1880, Arnold
treason was discovered. On Friday
October 10, 1881, CORVALLIS surren
dered at Yorktown, and the war fol
independence ended in victory.
The Northwestern boundary ques
tion, which threatened war with Eng
land, was settled on Friday. In til,
war with Mexico the battle of PalC
Alto began on Friday.
= The Confederates captured For